New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-03-15


gave way before 1t reached the inward side, but the
momentum Of the train and possibly the strength OF
the couplings carried it nearly over the chasm IL
| dropped Just before 1t reached the abutment and
the body of the car dashed against the solid stone
wall The force of the shock shot the roof OF the
car forward so that it cleared the chasm and slid
along on the rails beyond its full length. The
body Of the car was literally ground to pieces
against the abutment and the fragments OF WOOD,
| iron, upholstery and human bodies were strewn on
the road beneath forming the foundation of the
wreck SO complete was the destruction of this
car that 1t was difficult to make people at the
scene to-day believe that it had ever existed.
Near the northern abutment upon one bank and
| by the side of the roof OF the
| demolished fourth car there lay the
only remaining CHASTITY features Of the dis
aster The ground and the wreckage were in sew
eral places soaked with blood, and there were bits
of bone and flesh of victims that have not vet been
thoroughly removed 1t was at this spot that Con-
ductor Tidea was killed. and it is surmised that
he was on the platform between the third and
fourth cars when the accident happened. The SIX
cars which lay the chasm between the two abut-
ments formed heap about 400 feet long by about
100 feet wide Most of the casualties were in the
fourth, fifth and sixth cars of the train, and the
first second and third of those which went into.
the chasm. The fifth car was swerved to the left
by the angle of the abutment. 1t lay splln-
tered, with both ends gone, sides and roof
broken seats all broken, and in what was left of
the interior there torn bits OF w0menS cloth
ing showing where the owners had been wrenched
from the ruins. The stove in the centre OF the car
did not break away from its fastcnings. lt
was broken, however, in two just above the CRATE
and the fire escaped from this point and wond have
set the whole wreck blaze had there not been IA
cllities quickly at hand for extlngulsh1ng the
flames Over the wreck OF this car there was
arched steel rail bent into an inverted figure 0;
The next car lay partly upon the MIN b car ana
stood. The roof of this car lay dlagonaily across
the body of the car. Every seat was swept from
its fasenings In most cases the screws pulled out
of the floor IN others the castings broke. Several
of the persons killed and others who were injured
were taken from this car. The stove remained
firmly in place in the centre of the car and no fire
escaped from IT.
The remainder of the space directly between the
two abutments was filled up by what renamed of
the seventh and eighth cars of the traIn The hind
most ear almost intact on top OF the heap.
while the other was practically demolished Many
were injured but few were killed III these two
cars. Back of them, stretching away directly
beneath where the bridge stood, was the
upturned wreck OF the smoking-car only
a corner of this car renamed and that was broken
to pieces by the workmen III order to got 1t out or
the way The car whirled up side down as it fell
or slid from the embankment above. Scarcely any
one of It's occupants escaped injury The remains
of the bridge were buried 30 completely III the gem
era ruin that only the twisted trusses were distin-
gushabe in the ruins.
THE WORK OF THE REsCUERs.
The scene at the bridge shortly after the disaster
was heartrendmg. In one place seven bodies
taken out were placed in low. All were badly
mangled Large numbers Of women were on
tho train and many were to be
seen in the ruins Of the cars. One woman was cut
completely in two, the upper half of her body only
being found hep srs sgs around the oe
Both had been killed by blows upoa the head.
The wreck could only be approached from TWO
sides. The iiremen who responded to the alarm
worked with WILL and citizens assisted the police
in rescuing tho passengers. Axes and crowbars
were necessary to free The people who were pm
essary TO cut bodies of the dead IN order 10 get
them out. They were already crushed out or any
wedged beneath the SIDE OF 2 car that ny
could be removed in no other way. Inc
wounded were carried to the nearest houses ana
medical assistance was furnished rs soon as possl-
bic. Doctors came from every direction and ui,
promptu hospitals Were established IN several
places By a. III. all the bodies had been removed.
One Of the things which speak well for |
the care of the road Is the TACT |
that the door of every stove was locked,
the nOlts by which the stoves were fastened, III |
every instance held except in the last last car.
winch got over the bridge and was wrecked on the
bank
John Murphy was sitting IN the second seat from
the front of the fourth car when the crash came;
He said: " | was talking TO Edwin Morse when | |
felt the bridge sinking under me- We grabbed hold
of the seats and III an instant all the people ana
the seats of the car came tumbilng doww on Us l
other was thrown over Mr.. Morse, and that also
was pinned down. My body was under pile of
who appeared to be dead. At first none of us could
move. but III minute | felt Mr Morse
%oXs psGv hurt iis nshed rep@d T at he he WAS WAS
suffering some, but thought he would be all right
If ne could only get out. lt seemed long time be-
fore cou1 free my arms linen began 70 clear
u,,tf I fla fhaf held m
/ gof everything free except my left foot hat
pancd me terribly. At last succeeded in prying
inc it from the wreck. But managed to get ont in
some way. | crawed over tho dead body, and at
last reached the road. i'm al right now.
Despite his last assertion the uoctor says hc Is
Water Whittmore had singular escape; He
said. was sitting in the rear of the fourth car.
The cor suddenly pitched forward, the seats were
torn up and something struck me on the head. |
was partially stunned, but remember that the
ont of the cars. | caught hold of something ana
held on. | remember having some curiosity as
to what was, coming next. lDere wash was hanging
on, with my legs dangling over the broken end OF
the ear. Ii seemed an age before we struck. Ihen
my hand was pinned against the stone wall
bV the side of the car L succeeded IN ireelns my
self and only left a little flesh there"
The smoklng-car had a full complement OF pass,
sengcrs and that only one OF the number was klieu
ia attributed to the monitor top. Passengers VINO
sat bcneah II it only slightly injured, receiving
a general shaking up, while the greatesS injury
received by those persons VINO SAT III tie sui'iIi
spaces both forward aud IN the rear which the mon
Itor ton does not cover Edward 4. Norris. the one
smoklng-car passenger reported kile /, sat III the
rear OF the car. "
There are several theories as 10 the cause of the
bridge giving way. Although the bridge was desig.
mated for double track, only aslngle track crossed
IT. and one of the most singular things IN the minds
al practical raj lruad men is how both tiusscs
carried down at the same time when
thev were independent of each other. l
was asccrtaincd IN the course of investigation that
n MIR Baisdell was crossing from the first to the
second car Just the train struck the bridge. He
saws that he observed lroken journal hanging
down. This II is said, woud account for tue car.
ryIng Of the whoe bridge off the abrtment.
There are two special points bearing upon
the cause of the disaster. The first and apparently
most important one is the late discovery of u bad
flaw near the end of one of the bridge strlngers.
AS the wreck lies, one end Of twelve-nch lron
strInger rises few feet above the heap near the
northern abutmcnt This truss shows q diagonal